— — — — — —
BAM
Kazuma and the others were still singing and grilling meat when the door suddenly exploded open with a loud kick.
"I knew it! Laxus, you sneaky bastard, coming after me in the middle of the night!"
"I told you guys before—strike first, or get wrecked later! Mira, Erza, you two shouldn't have stopped me last time! If you'd just let me handle him then, we wouldn't be in this mess now!"
He was already holding a sword in one hand and a gun in another, ready to go all-out, but the moment he got to the door, he froze.
...Oh.
It wasn't Laxus.
It was Laxus's grandfather.
Their magic auras were just too damn similar, and for a split second, Kazuma's instincts had betrayed him. Not prejudice, just... an honest mistake.
"What did you just say, kid? Who's making a sneak attack? And what exactly are you planning to do?"
Makarov glared up at him, beard bristling. He'd only kicked the door open—no big deal!
Seriously, everyone else kicked the guild doors all the time and he never said a word. The one time he kicks open a door, suddenly people are charging him like he's the villain? Was he still the guild master or not?!
"It's nothing, just a misunderstanding. Haha... By the way, Guild Master, uh—you came empty-handed?"
Kazuma quickly holstered his weapons, grinning awkwardly as his eyes flicked toward Makarov's hands. Empty. Totally empty.
He sighed a little, visibly disappointed. A snack would've hit the spot right now.
"What's with that look?" Makarov fumed. "I am Makarov, Guild Master of Fairy Tail, one of the Ten Wizard Saints, and I'm over eighty years old!"
"I didn't come here to give you gifts, yet you're looking at me like I owe you one? The nerve of you kids these days!"
Kazuma immediately raised both hands. "No, no, of course not! Empty-handed's fine! So what brings you here, old man? Don't tell me you're also worried I'll jump Laxus in the dark."
Makarov snorted. "Impossible. You may be hotheaded, impulsive, and prone to violence... but deep down, you're a good kid."
He paused halfway through, frowning slightly. "You... wouldn't actually attack a guildmate, right?"
His confidence was fading by the second as he recalled how Kazuma had charged the door earlier—shouting about Laxus.
"Of course not, Guild Master," Kazuma said earnestly. "If I want to beat someone, I'll do it fair and square. No sneak attacks. So if that's not why you're here... did you come for the barbecue?"
He even put on his most righteous face.
See, Mira? Erza? Even Makarov knows what kind of man I am. Take notes! No wonder he's the guild master.
"The barbecue does smell tempting," Makarov admitted, "but no, I'm here on official business."
"When I went home tonight, I couldn't sleep. Thought about it for hours. Finally made a decision."
His face grew serious.
"I've decided to grant you temporary S-Class Mage status. From now on, you're qualified to take on S-Class missions."
Kazuma blinked. "Wait, seriously?"
"Your strength already meets the standard," Makarov explained. "But the official S-Class Promotion Trial is still a long way off. I don't want you sitting around bored until then. So I'm making an exception."
"Still, I'll gather the other S-Class mages for a vote. If you get at least half their approval, you'll be recognized."
It had taken Makarov a long night of thinking to reach this point. Normal missions had become meaningless for Kazuma—he barely needed to leave his house anymore, since his summoned shadows could do everything for him.
So, temporary S-Class status it was. If the vote passed, it would become approved. If not, the title would just be revoked later.
But really, what were the odds he wouldn't pass?
Kazuma's eyes lit up. "That's great news! If I remember right, even though Mira doesn't take missions anymore, she's still listed as an active S-Class mage, yeah? Her vote counts too, right?"
Makarov nodded. "Yes. Laxus, Gildarts, Mystogan, Erza, and Mira—five in total. You only need two or three votes to pass."
"Perfect." Kazuma turned toward the kitchen. "Erza! Mira! Stop eating for a second, I need your help!"
A few moments later, the two emerged, still holding their plates. Kazuma ducked inside to grab something—an orange.
He held it up with a grin. "This orange was from Mystogan. Consider it his proxy vote. So that's one in the bag already."
"Next up—Erza. You in favor of me becoming an S-Class mage?"
Erza nodded immediately. "No objections. You've had S-Class power for a while now. It's about time you got the title."
Then she blinked at Makarov. "Wait, you came empty-handed, Master?"
Makarov's eye twitched. "You too?!"
"Alright, Erza's on board," Kazuma said cheerfully. "That's two votes. Just to be sure—Mira, what about you?"
Mira smiled sweetly, finger tapping her lips, her eyes glinting mischievously. "Hmm, I suppose I don't mind, but—"
"Great, that's three votes! Thanks, Mira!" Kazuma cut her off before she could finish, already sensing trouble. That smile was never a good sign.
Makarov chuckled. "Well, that's that. A bit informal, but it fits what I had in mind. You're now a temporary S-Class Mage."
"I'll make an announcement to the guild tomorrow. For now, I'll let you get back to... whatever this is."
He turned to leave, sighing, but then stopped after two steps.
"Wait a minute—this is your house, right, Kazuma? Then why are you two here at midnight, eating barbecue with him?"
He looked from Erza to Mira suspiciously. "And why did Mystogan send fruit but not stay to eat? You're not... throwing a secret party without him, are you?"
Before anyone could answer, a familiar chime echoed in Kazuma's mind.
[Ding!]
[Achievement unlocked: 'Promotion to S-Class Mage.']
[Reward: Devil Fruit — More-More Fruit (No side effects)]
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A/N: Some notes about the fruit for those who don't know it:
The More-More Fruit (Moa Moa no Mi) from One Piece was wielded by Byrnndi World, also known as the World Destroyer.
It's a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit that allows the user to amplify—well, pretty much anything.
Size, speed, strength, projectile velocity—you name it. In the 3D2Y film, the limit shown was one hundred times, but that likely depends on the user's physical endurance and mastery.
The stronger your control, the higher the multiplier—but the cost and strain increase just as fast.